Tigers Dont Change Their Stripes
by Skitz Llama
Summary: Dani O'Leary is a disturbed Hogwarts student. She returns for her 6th year and discovers love in a certain werewolf. But that isn't all that is back to haunt her...
1. On the Hogwart's Train

Author's Note/Summary: Well, I really wanted to do a fan fiction where I'm in with the Marauders, but thought that it would be too stupid if I just dropped into Hogwarts. So I made it that I was at the school all along. 'Cept I still don't know about Remus being a werewolf or anything. The people used in there (other than the ones from Harry Potter) are actually my friend's characters. Ok. Oh and, O'Leary is pronounced OH-LEE-ARE-EE, and most of the things Dani does, they are real habits of mine. Like fixing guy's hair. Anyhow cheers ^-^  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters or terms referred to. I don't own my friend's characters either. I believe they are their own persons. Enjoy, now..or not  
  
Tigers don't change their stripes ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*  
  
"Hey Dani! Ready to kick some butt this year, or what?" A girl with shortish brown hair called, running up to Dani. Dani turned and smiled and held up her hand. The girl slapped it.  
  
"Hell yeah, San! Those Gresnich maggots won't know what HIT them.. Speaking of which, haven't tried anymore illegal beater moves, eh?" Dani replied, falling into step beside her friend, and fellow beater on the Hogwarts team, Sanuya, better known as San. San grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Only with Sirius." Dani laughed and shoved her friend away.  
  
"Get out of here, you!" And they climbed up the steps to the train. They wandered down the aisle and stepped into a compartment. 3 boys, all of about 16, occupied the compartment.  
  
"Hel-lo guys had a good summer?" Dani asked as she sank into a seat next to a boy with brown hair and his nose stuck in a book. She rolled her eyes and leaned over to him.  
  
"Hullo Remus." She said. He jumped and grinned at her.  
  
"Mornin' Dani." He replied and was soon immersed in his book again. She rolled her eyes again and stared around.  
  
"Wasn't bad, no." A boy with untidy black hair said. A handsome boy sitting next to Sanuya let out a sound that resembled a laugh.  
  
"'Course it wasn't bad. Not for you, anyway, James. 'S always good for you, mate. You live the life." The boy with untidy hair snorted.  
  
"Hardly, Sirius. You don't have a greasy git living next door to you." Said James. Dani groaned. They were always having a go at her cousin. She couldn't blame them, but most of the time, it WAS unnecessary.  
  
"Come off it, James. Snape doesn't have a good life." Dani said, picking at her nails.  
  
"Who would, being related to you?" Sirius retorted. She glared at him and he smirked. James and Sanuya laughed. Remus was still into his book.  
  
"Yeah, I mean. if I was YOUR cousin.. I'd be scared you were going to take my head off with a bat or something. You are oddly notorious for that." James said smiling.  
  
"You'd wanna watch out, or you might be my next lucky victim." Dani snarled. Footsteps sounded outside their compartment. A small boy with mousy brown hair and a pointed nose opened their compartment door. Dani grinned.  
  
"Peter! How was your summer?" She said and shoved Remus up the bench to make room. Remus looked at Dani and shook his head. Peter stared around with watery blue eyes.  
  
"It was ok." He said vaguely. Peter and Remus were the only ones in their group that wasn't on the Hogwarts Quidditch team. James put his hand in side his robe pocket and pulled out a little gold ball with wings. Everybody except for Peter groaned.  
  
"Good grief, James! Give it a rest!" Sanuya cried. James shrugged and started playing with the snitch, a grin of satisfaction on his face. Dani rolled her eyes and busied herself with making Sirius' hair change colour with a swish of her wand. He finally realised when he caught site of himself in San's mirror that she was using to fix her hair with. He plunged a hand in his robes, pointed the wand tip at Dani and muttered an incantation. Dani's skin was now a lovely pink colour. Flashes of light flew across the compartment and still, Remus read on. Sanuya waited for the moment and jumped in, firing hexes in every direction, laughing. Peter was gawking at James, who was still playing with the snitch. Sirius noticed this and fired an Engorgement Charm that hit James Square in the middle of the head. His nose started swelling to the size of a tomato. Cursing, he deflated it with a wave of his own wand and was about to hex Sirius when the door opened. Everybody stopped having fun with heir wands and looked at who was staring in the doorway. James snarled under his breath. "What do YOU want, Snivellus?" The boy standing in the doorway had greasy black hair and a hooked nose. Severus Snape. He flicked his head towards James.  
  
"Nothing concerning you, Potter. Keep your big head where it belongs." Spat Snape. James sat back in his chair and rumpled his hair. Snape turned to Remus.  
  
"You're wanted in the Prefects carriage, Lupin." Remus put his book down after dog-earing it and sighed. He stood up and followed the greasy haired Severus Snape down the aisle. Dani watched them until they disappeared.  
  
"He's not looking too well, is he?" Dani asked out loud. Craning her neck to look out the door.  
  
"Who, Remus?" Sirius asked back.  
  
"Yeah. Lookin' a bit peaky, he is. I hope he's all right." Dani said turning back to her friends. James and Sirius flashed a look at each other and Peter squeaked. Dani looked at the boys oddly and shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, he's fine." Sirius said and yawned. "But geez, I'm bored." And with a glance at James they both grinned. They stood up and made their way to the door. Sanuya yawned and said; "Go with them. Make sure they don't get up to too much trouble, at least. I'd go with ya, but.. you know them, and I'm tired." Dani nodded and jumped up and walked out the door with James and Sirius. She quickened her pace to catch up with them and they turned into the compartment 3 up from theirs. Dani stuck her head in and groaned.  
  
"I can't stop you, but.. Just don't hang him up side down again. That was embarrassingly gross." Dani said and leant against the door, with her arms crossed. The two boys grinned and stepped into the compartment. Inside were Snape, a blonde haired boy Dani knew was called Lucius and another guy she didn't know.  
  
"Hello, Snivelly, Ferret and some other loser we don't know." Sirius began, looking at the stranger. He had dark hair and a nasty looking smile that did not reach his cold, cold eyes.  
  
"That loser happens to know exactly how to kick your arse, so.. unless you don't want a pumpkin for a head or something, I suggest you get out." Snarled the dark stranger. Sirius' laugh sounded like a bark as he threw back his head and cackled.  
  
"Yeah? And who are you to have the honour of turning my head into such pumpkin?" Sirius asked, amused.  
  
"What d'you want, Black?" Snape spat, glaring up into Sirius' face.  
  
"Just for a lovely chat, dear Snivelly." James piped up stepping into the compartment more and closing the door. Dani shifted aside so they could get the door closed and resumed her position. The stranger started to say something but Snape stopped him.  
  
"Shut up, Karkaroff, let me deal with this." Snape ordered, thrusting a hand across Karkaroff's chest. Lucius started to stand and curse the two Gryffindor's into oblivion when Snape stood up and pushed Lucius Malfoy back into his chair. "I said let me deal with this!" Snape shouted again and with that plunged a hand into his robes.  
  
"Gashe-" Snape cried.  
  
"Stupefy!" A voice cried, and Snape keeled over backwards. He was lying rigid as a board on the floor of the carriage, his oily hair over his face. As one, everyone looked over to the door and there stood Dani, her wand raised. Sirius and James had only just put their hands in their pockets to draw their wands, when Dani had sensed something was going to happen and whipped out her own. Sirius and James gaped at Dani. They had never thought her the violent type. Sure, she'd get a bit feisty on the Quidditch pitch, but that was just normal.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, O'Leary?" Lucius shrieked bending down and muttering an incantation, whilst pointing his own wand tip at Snape's chest. Dani looked furious for a second and suddenly looked remotely embarrassed.  
  
"Oh be jebus.." She whispered and immediately bent down to help her cousin up. He lashed out with his arm, striking Dani on the chest. She toppled back over and scrambled to her feet. "I'm sorry, Severus." Said Dani backing away.  
  
"I'll get you yet, Potter, Black." Snape hissed. Karkaroff smirked and stared at Dani.  
  
"Now that we know they need their girlfriend to fight for them, it's going to be hard getting them by themselves." Karkaroff whispered audibly to Lucius Malfoy and Snape. Dani flushed a lovely red colour.  
  
"And here I was thinking Slytherin's were supposed to bond with each other, and you go and stun Snape?" Lucius said dangerously soft. Dani flushed even darker.  
  
"Obviously that philosophy doesn't occur to you, O'Leary. It won't work." He added. Dani whirled around to glare at him.  
  
"What won't work?" She spat, furious with her ex-friend.  
  
"Tigers don't change their stripes."  
  
Dani made a choking noise, tears welling up in her eyes, and turning on her heel, ran out of the compartment. She ran down the aisle, her long black hair trailing behind her, she came to a halt at the end of the Hogwarts Express. She heard a second sound of footsteps and looked turned to face the person following her. It was Remus. His kind face looked concerned. He raised a thin, pale hand to gently touch Dani's arm.  
  
"James told me what Malfoy said. I don't fully get it." He said in a quiet voice, leading Dani by the hand back down the aisle. She tugged a hanky out of the sleeve of her cloak and wiped her tears away. They turned into their compartment, Sirius and James were still gone, Peter and Sanuya curled up on a bench each, fast asleep. Dani and Remus moved to a corner of the compartment and she began telling her tale of why, even though in Slytherin, she chose to befriend the 5 Gryffindors.  
  
"A couple of years ago, when we first started at Hogwarts, d'you remember how I hung around with Snape and Malfoy? My parents," She choked slightly when she said this. "Malfoy's parents, and Snape's were all friends.. they all practiced the Dark Arts. Snape, Malfoy and I were always around each other. Snape had the worst life, his parents always fighting, and he was my best friend. Him and Malfoy also started practicing Dark Magic in our 3rd year.. I started doing it too. Our parents were always talking about how we would be the generation who would bring some Dark Lord or another to full power. I never knew what it meant but my parents were always pressing it on me. In the beginning of our 5th year my oldies discovered that they were under the Imperius Curse and they had overcome it. They started acting weird. They weren't practicing dark magic and they were being real parents. I felt like the whole world had turned upside down. Then when I told Malfoy and Snape that I wasn't doing the Dark Arts anymore.. they didn't take it too well.  
  
"What do you mean, you're quitting, O'Leary?" Malfoy spat at me. I turned to face him, a smile on my face, the first smile in ages, I remember.  
  
"Mum and Dad have changed, Malfoy, they aren't doing Dark shit anymore.. they are acting like real parents." I said happily, spreading my arms wide. Malfoy and Snape had exchanged shadowed looks then. I remember gazing at them oddly.  
  
"If you leave, no good will come of this, O'Leary." Snape had whispered, so dangerously. I had turned on him, then. I remember my face burning.  
  
"What are you going to do, curse me? I can't do this anymore, Severus. I'm not meant to be bad." I remember saying.  
  
"You are in Slytherin! You were born to be bad!" Lucius yelled. I turned on him then.  
  
"You are wrong. The Sorting Hat was wrong. I'm not evil." I had whispered. I tried to leave the room then, but Lucius held out his arm, stopping me. He had drawn his wand and was pointing it at me.  
  
"You leave, and you'll regret it, O'Leary." He said coldly. I looked pleadingly over to Snape but he was staring determinedly at the floor. I turned cold eyes on him.  
  
"Then I will, Malfoy. I'm starting new, and you can't stop me." I hissed. I pushed his arm back  
  
"Tigers don't change their stripes, O'Leary." He called after me, I kept on walking and I heard a swishing noise behind me. Malfoy was about to curse me.  
  
"Ampcututarum!" I shouted, before he could finish his spell. Malfoy let out a scream and watched in horror as a long cut appeared on his wrist. Snape was staring horrified at Malfoy's arm, the cut getting deeper and blood spilling everywhere as Malfoy shrieked in pain. I turned then, and tears streaming down my face at the shock of that I had just harmed one of the best friend I had.  
  
7 months later, I saw my parents murdered.. murdered by Malfoy's father." Dani choked quietly. Remus was staring at her.  
  
"Satanius Malfoy?" He said quietly. Dani nodded. "When he said 'Tigers don't change their stripes' .. does that mean that he thinks you're still doing Dark magic? And that you'll always be wrong? That you will always be bad?"  
  
"I'm not, though! It was a spiteful way to remind me of what I did when I turned on them.." She trailed off quietly. Tears were building up once more in her eyes. "My parents died because of me. I was foolish enough to walk out on Snape and Malfoy. And when they didn't let me go.. I still went, hoping I could pick up my life with my parents. And I should have known better than to curse Malfoy.. I know what he is capable of.. and his father." Dani blinked back her tears and pulled out her handkerchief again. She strained to smile. "It's all good, now. He can't overpower me. His father killed my parents. He was a murderer, and Lucius Malfoy will sure go the same way. You just watch, and I will get him back, if it's the last thing I do."  
  
"Don't go messing with the Malfoy's, Dani. They've already killed your mum and dad and they will find another way to destroy you." Remus said warningly.  
  
"I don't care. I have something that the Malfoys don't."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"I have sense." Dani said. The compartment door burst opened, and in strode James and Sirius. Sanuya and Peter awoke with a start. Sanuya yawned and blinked blearily at Sirius.  
  
"When did you guys get back?" She said groggily.  
  
"Well, Dani-" James started to say. Dani stared at him with a silencing look.  
  
"I was hungry, so I went to the front of the train to get some food when I found Remus.. and we came back here. James and Sirius were still tormenting Snape." Dani continued, forcing a grin. Sanuya snorted and picked up the box of 'Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans', popping a bean into her mouth. A look of disgust swept across her face as she swallowed with difficult.  
  
"Spinach.." She coughed. Dani laughed along with the rest of them, but Remus noticed that her laugh was hollow, and not at all like the loud burst of energy that usually issued from Dani's mouth. Remus looked at his watch. 2 days until the full moon.. damn I hate being a werewolf.. he thought. He sighed and put a hand to his head. He had a feeling that he wasn't the only one dreading something. As the sky darkened outside the windows, Sirius and Sanuya started having some fun on the bench opposite to Dani. Dani looked away and her eyes rested on Remus. His head was resting on the back of the seat, his mouth slightly opened. She smiled slightly and looked over to where James Potter was curled on the seat, his hand wrapped around a struggling snitch. Peter was staring off into space, clearly thinking about something other than school, by the dreamy expression on his slack face. The train started to slow down and Remus awoke with a jolt, sitting upright and stretching. He smiled at Dani and yawned. The train stopped, awaking James and pulling Sirius and Sanuya apart. Peter snapped out of his reverie and rubbed at his eyes and tugged his cloak straight. Dani stood up, put one hand in her pocket, grabbed her owl cage that contained Gany, her owl, with the other, and opened the door to the compartment, followed by Remus, James and Peter. Sirius and Sanuya were cleaning up a bit. Dani stepped off the train and her and the 3 boys made their way over to a carriage each pulled by a black horse like dragon, Dani had learned the previous year these were Thestrals. She let Remus and James get up before her and clambered over the edge of the carriage. She sank into the cold, wooden seat of the carriage and noticed Remus doing the same. She looked out at the night sky and the moon growing bigger.  
  
"Nearly full moon." She said absently, glancing over at Remus. Oddly, he blanched and nodded.  
  
"Yep.. can't wait." He replied, in what would be a vacant tone of voice. Peter and James were chatting animatedly about Quidditch. When they asked Dani a question she just smiled and nodded, her mind elsewhere. When the carriage stopped, she was the last to jump out of the Thestral drawn cart. She tapped the cage holding her owl with her wand. It burst open and her dark grey owl flew out. She tapped the cage with her wand again and muttered "Evanesco!" And it vanished. She walked on, now separated from her friends. She saw a blonde figure up ahead followed by a scraggly boy with black hair. She sighed, knowing she will have to pass Malfoy and Snape. She hurried on, and looked up, and found Malfoy staring back at her a smirk all over his pale face. He raised his left arm. His cloak fell down to reveal the claw he always grasped onto, to hide his half severed hand. She glared at him and pushed past him into the Great Hall. She saw Remus and the gang sitting at the Gryffindor table. She sighed and sat down at the Slytherin table next to a girl with waist-length brown hair Dani was friendly with. Her name was Trossi Demonio. She was a beater on the Slytherin team. Trossi smiled as Dani slid in next to her.  
  
"Have a good summer, O'Leary?" She asked Dani.  
  
"Wasn't bad, Tros, what about yours? Kill anything?" Dani asked slyly. Trossi missed the sarcasm and frowned.  
  
"No.. do I ever?" Dani raised an eyebrow and sighed.  
  
"Never mind.." Dani said, shaking her head. She glanced over at the Gryffindor Table where Remus, her new best friend, was sitting with his head in his hands. Dani wondered once more if he was all right and healthy when a little tapping noise came from the teachers table. Dani looked up and saw the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, stand.  
  
"The sorting will now commence. New students that have just been sorted, please go to your house table when you have been sorted." He said in a booming voice. Dani looked up to see an average sized line of small boys and girls, all shivering and staring in awe at the Great Hall. A teacher with dark hair in a tight bun swept out from a chamber to the right of the teachers table. She had a stool and a hat was placed upon the stool. She put the stool directly in front of Dumbledore. The hat on the stool was particularly shabby and a tear near the brim opened wide. It began to sing. Once the hat had sung the song, there was a loud round of applause. The teacher with the bun walked back out into the hall and unrolled a piece of parchment.  
  
"When I call your name, please come forward and place the hat upon your head-" Dani noticed that some of the students were tugging their collars nervously, or were sweating.  
  
"Ayoub, Hannah!" A tall girl with dark purple hair walked out and placed the hat on her head. There was a moment of silence.  
  
"Gryffindor!" The table to the far right erupted in applause and Dani saw James and Sirius, cheering and whooping.  
  
"Browne, Luke!" A short boy with an untidy mop of blonde hair stumped forward.  
  
"Hufflepuff!" And the sorting continued, ending with;  
  
"Williams, Nick!" An incredibly tall boy with short blonde hair strode forward.  
  
"Slytherin!" Dani cheered as the tall boy took a seat a few places down from hers. Dumbledore stood up again and waited for the chattering to stop.  
  
"Let the feast.. begin." He said and the plates in front of everybody suddenly filled with food and their sparkling clean goblets filled with drink. Dani began to eat without real relish. She stared jealously at the Gryffindor table where her 5 friends were joking around. She stared for a few more minutes, as she chewed her food monotonously. Dani glanced up the Slytherin table where she saw Snape watching her with glassy eyes. She fired a nasty look at him and returned to her food. After an hour, the plates cleared themselves and Dumbledore stood up once more. Dani watched with mild interest as he began the usual speech, telling the first years all of the rules. Did she only move when Dumbledore called for the prefects to lead their houses back to their dormitories. Dani stood up and hurried over to where her Gryffindor friends were standing, having a chat.  
  
"Saw you at the feast. You looked like you were enjoying yourself oh so much." Sirius joked, towering over Dani. She grinned sarcastically and punched him playfully on the arm.  
  
"Always do." She said and Sirius laughed. James, Sanuya, Sirius and Peter all walked away to the Gryffindor dormitories. Remus stayed a little longer and gave Dani a quick half-hug. He appeared embarrassed.  
  
"I however, did see you at the feast. I've never seen you look so low. Don't let Malfoy get to you and don't do anything rash, ok?" He said and flashed Dani a shy smile. She returned his and bade him goodnight. Dani walked over to the door leading to the dungeons. She opened it and found herself in a cold corridor that led to the Slytherin common room. She reached the entrance and muttered the password she had heard a 7th year at the feast tell his friend. She walked through the doorway into the narrow room that was the Slytherin common room. Lucius, Severus, that bloke called Karkaroff and a girl with blonde hair called Narcissa Black, were sitting on one couch, obviously discussing something in low voices. They looked up when Dani entered the room and Malfoy whispered something. The other 3 let out cold laughs and Dani rolled her eyes and walked down the corridor to the girl's dormitories. She opened the stone door and spotted Trossie huddled in her bed looking rather sad. Dani walked over to her bed, opened the trunk, pulled out her pj's and changed.  
  
"Are you all right, Trossie?" Dani called, her back to the girl. The shape under the green cover shifted and pulled a cord that drew the green hangings on her four poster closed. Dani sighed and leaned against the cold black wood of her bed, staring at the stone wall. Soon the light snores of Trossie filled the room. Dani climbed into her bed and pointed her wand at the torch on the wall. It was extinguished immediately. Dani was lying in bed for what seemed 20 minutes when she heard the dormitory door open and in swept Narcissa, the other girl that shared the 6th year dormitory Dani slept in. Narcissa changed swiftly and buried herself under the covers.  
  
"You will pay for what you did to Malfoy, O'Leary." Narcissa said in her elegant, but cold voice. Dani rolled onto her side.  
  
"Haven't I paid enough, Black? In the last 6 months, I've lost my parents and my best friends. In my opinion, that sounds like Malfoy has made me suffer in a big way." Dani spat back and turned away from Narcissa. There was no more noise and soon, Dani fell asleep. 


	2. First day at Hogwarts Part 1

Dani awoke to a pale light, filtering in from under the door. She looked at the window which was magicked to look like the outside sky. It was the crack of dawn. She sighed, and knew she never would be able to get back to sleep. Dani pulled her uniform on and took out a brush to smooth her hair. I need a hair cut.. knee-length is long enough. She thought bitterly as it took her 10 minutes to finish brushing her hair. She crept out of the room and out of the Slytherin common room. She made her way out of the dungeons and into the Entrance Hall. Dani opened the doors leading into the Great Hall. It was completely deserted. Except for one person at the Gryffindor table. Dani craned her neck to see who it was and soon discovered it was Remus Lupin. Dani swung around and went over to the Gryffindor table. Remus appeared shaky and pale. "Good Morning Remus." Dani said quietly. Remus jumped and twisted his neck to see who had spoken his name. He smiled weakly.  
  
"Hi Dani. What are you doing up so early?" He looked at his wristwatch. "It's 5:15." Dani shrugged.  
  
"Couldn't sleep, I guess." She said and yawned. Remus smiled. "What are YOU doing up anyway?" She asked pointedly.  
  
"Oh, same reason as you, I guess." He said and Dani noticed the shadows under his eyes. She leaned closer to him.  
  
"Are you alright, Remus? You don't look too hot." Dani asked, concernedly. Remus stretched and pushed his plate forward.  
  
"Meh.. I'm all right. Just not getting enough sleep." Dani nodded.  
  
"Are you going to finish that?" She asked. Remus shook his head. "D'you want to come for a walk? We've still got about-" She checked her watch that hung around her neck on a chain. "-an hour before anyone gets up."  
  
Remus pushed his chair out and stood up. Dani noticed he was trembling. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously and they walked out of the hall. The doors flung open when they reached them and they stepped out onto the grounds.  
  
"Hogwarts looks so pretty in the early morning." Dani breathed. They stepped out onto the dewy ground and strolled over to the lake, carrying bits of toast to feed to the giant squid that inhabited Hogwarts lake. They walked along the edge, throwing the toast in. In the morning light, Remus looked even more thin and pale than usual. They stood standing on the edge, watching their pieces of toast disappear beneath the cold surface of the lake. Remus pulled out his wand and conjured a chair behind them. They sat down and Remus started shivering, even though it was quite warm. Dani peered at him, over her green rimmed oval glasses that she had just put on.  
  
"Are you sure everything is all right? You can tell me anything you know." Dani asked, extremely worried about her friend. Remus shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"Everything is fine, Dani." He said.  
  
"You know, fine means freaked out, paranoid, insecure and emotional."  
  
"Im fine! The- the normal fine!" He said exasperatedly, jumping up. Dani did the same and the chair vanished, due to another flick of Remus' wand. There was a hint of a smile at the corner of Dani's mouth and that made Remus even more frustrated.  
  
"What are you laughing at?!" He cried. Dani was nearly in fits of laughter. Remus turned and stomped away. Dani stopped laughing immediately and jogged up to him.  
  
"I'm sorry, mate. I was only joking." Remus turned on her.  
  
"I'm sick of people laughing at me! James is always laughing at me for being a prefect and good in everything. Sirius and San are always laughing at me for having a book glued to my nose. Peter will do anything James does and if you laugh at me.. I have no one left that cares." Dani stopped abruptly.  
  
"I didn't know you thought like this, Remus.. I'm sorry." Dani muttered. She hated apologising. Remus turned and sighed. He caught her hand in his and held it. Dani looked at him with shock. He had never made any straightforward moves like this before. He twisted the ring on Dani's middle finger, obviously fascinated with the swirly patterns on it. She just stared at the top of his light brown hair. He looked slowly up and smiled. A spark seemed to start between them then. They leaned ever so closer, she could see the tiny lines around his eyes, it all happened too fast. Their lips touched for one moment.. BRING! The bell rang. They drew apart, slightly embarrassed but happy. Remus dropped Dani's hand and smiled.  
  
"Nice ring." He murmured. Dani grinned and rolled her eyes. He appeared embarrassed and she turned from him.  
  
"That's breakfast.. I'm going to go get my timetable ..are you coming?" Dani said, holding her hand out. Remus sighed sarcastically and took it.  
  
"If I must.." He said walking with Dani back to the school. When they reached the open doors, they saw students spilling from different directions in a flurry of black cloaks. Dani spotted Lucius and Snape coming from the dungeons. Lucius cold grey eyes flicked their way and he nudged Snape, whispering something into his ear. Snape blanched, glared and pushed his way through the crowd into the Great Hall. Dani glanced over at the Gryffindor table, still clinging onto Remus' hand. Sirius was facing them, eating with gusto. He looked up from his food and gawked. He tapped James, who was talking to Peter, and they both laughed. Dani blushed and Sirius put his fingers to his lips and let out a loud wolf-whistle. She and Remus parted.  
  
"See you at break." He murmured in Dani's ear. He quickly brushed his lips against her cheek and walked away. She slouched off to the far left table. She felt Lucius' eyes burning into her and she ignored it. She was in a good mood and no one was going to ruin it for her. She happily took a timetable from the pile that read "6th years". She skimmed over it.  
  
Defence Against the Dark Arts- 9:15am  
  
Ancient Runes- 10:30am  
  
Break  
  
Care of Magical Creatures- 11:30pm  
  
Lunch  
  
Potions- 1:05pm.  
  
Transfiguration- 2:25pm  
  
Dani sighed. Not a bad day. She thought, folding her timetable up and putting it in the inside pocket of her cloak. She grasped the clock swinging from her neck and glanced at it. It read 9 o'clock. She tucked it back inside her vest and walked out of the Great Hall, peeking only once at the Gryffindor table where Sirius and James were falling over each other in mock love. Dani rolled her eyes at their immatureness and pursued her path down to the dungeons to get her bag. She spoke the password; Salazar Serpent-Tongue, raced to her dormitory, stuffed her peacock feather quill in her bag, some parchment and the text books she had bought in Diagon Alley before term started. She looked at her clock again and it read 9:07. She ran out of her dormitory, hitching her pants up as she ran. She got out into the dungeon hallway when she heard a familiar drawling voice behind her.  
  
"Going somewhere, O'Leary?" Said Malfoy, his pale face plastered with a smirk. Dani stopped and turned.  
  
"Yeah, it's called class, you fool. And you are not making me late, Lucius." She spat at him, hoisting her bag up further on her shoulder. He plunged a hand into his robes but Dani was ready. She had her wand pointing straight in between Malfoy's eyes. "Don't make me hurt you, Malfoy. I'm really rather tired." She said, in a cold voice. Malfoy considered this position and replaced his wand in his pocket. Dani kept hers poised.  
  
"See you've found yourself a boyfriend." He drawled, trying to remain calm, even if he did have a 13 inch piece of wood ready to jab at him. Dani tightened her grip on her wand. "A Gryffindor.. intriguing."  
  
"So?" She spat, now positively fuming. Malfoy raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You don't know what else he is?" He asked, smirking again. Dani lowered her wand and looked at Malfoy with a queer expression on her face.  
  
"Probably everything your not.. which means; nice, good-looking, smart.. and of course, his father isn't a murderer." Dani said, checking her little clock. 9:12. She shifted the weight of her bag and turned around.  
  
"Where do you think you are going?" She was called after.  
  
"Like I said, you twit, I have class." She ran down the cold corridor and turned up the stairs she knew were a shortcut to the 3rd floor, on which she had Defence Against the Dark Arts. She took the steps two at a time, as far as her short legs would go and finally, she reached the 3rd floor with a minute to go. She sprinted down the corridor and skidded to a halt outside the door just as the bell rang. Dani sauntered into the classroom, taking her usual seat in the back left corner. The classroom was already half-full, the sixteen year olds that occupied the classroom were now awaiting their teacher, Professor Arkidash. Professor Arkidash swept into the room. Dani watched Professor Arkidash take her usual position behind the bench in front of the blackboard. She tapped her wand twice on the altar to silence those that were still chatting. The students fell quiet and they gazed up at Arkidash.  
  
"Welcome back, Sixth years. You have decided to study Defence Against the Dark Arts. This is where we get into the tricky charms and curses like the Patronus Charm. Which is what we are starting with today, so everybody, take out your wands and find someone to work with and a place in the room. The instructions are on the board." Arkidash said in a smooth, clear voice. She took out her own wand and swished it. The desks and chairs were now neatly piled against the wall. Dani reached in for her own wand and was left with the girl nobody wanted to mess with, Morgs Avanga. Dani sighed and walked over to Morgs. Morgs had bright purple hair, with one red stripe and one yellow and had a cybernetic eye. She was a manic-depressive with a split personality and was rather dangerous on the Quidditch pitch. She played beater for Hufflepuff and keeper for Ravenclaw. Dani poked Morgs and she jumped. Morgs turned around and there was a big grin on her messed up face.  
  
"Oh, hello! You're O'Leary aren't you? Spectacular catch in the final last year. I can't wait to get these charms started, let's start now, I'll go first." Morgs said in one breath and far too quickly. But she had already pointed her own wand at Dani. There was a swish and a flick and a cry of Expacto Patonem! And Dani was lifted off her feet and she was now hanging immobile in the air. She struggled to keep her cloak down off her face and her hair was sticking out everywhere. Arkidash was running over. She merely flicked her wand and Dani was back down on the ground, though distinctly ruffled.  
  
"Fool." She murmured at Morgs. Morgs was now staring out the window, twitching and grinning spastically. Dani looked a tad frightened and just went off into a corner to practice the Patronus Charm. She produced only silvery mists at first, but she tried harder, fixing her mind completely on Remus' soft featured face. She smiled at the thought of him and swung her wand around.  
  
"Expecto Patronum!" She cried and a shiny silver wolf burst out of her wand and raced around the room.  
  
"Great work, Miss O'Leary, 10 points to Slytherin." Arkidash called across the room, fixing up a Hufflepuff that had a bleeding nose from his Ravenclaw friend. Dani watched her wolf gallop back around the class to her and it disappeared. She made the wolf erupt from her wand several more times and she sat for the last ten minutes, watching people around her, produce Patronus'. When the loud, shrill bell rang Dani swung her bag over her shoulder and stumped off to the 6th floor for Ancient Runes. She passed a friend of hers, Orlando Wood, in the hallway between the 4th and 5th floor. They walked to Ancient Runes together, also joining them was Redrick Griffiths from Hufflepuff. They walked into the Ancient Runes classroom and Dani took her seat in the back left and corner, where nobody would be sneering at her. She took out some parchment and her peacock feather quill. There was an ink well on her desk and she dipped it in, poising it over her parchment to write down today's Runes. After 75 minutes of scratching a feather on an old piece of paper, Dani's hand was getting a tad sore. When the bell rang for break, Dani packed her stuff quickly and was out the door before anybody else. She slowed her pace down to a stroll and she reached the Entrance Hall, wondering where Remus would meet her. The question was soon solved as Remus rounded the corner with Sirius and James at his side, Peter trailing behind. James and Sirius automatically went into their fits of mock love and Remus blushed. He walked over to Dani, holding his hand out. She took his, carefully not scratching him with her nails. They walked out onto the grounds.  
  
"Are we going out- now?" He asked quietly. Dani looked at him with the queerest expression on her face. She smiled and laughed.  
  
"I don't know.. are we?" She asked back just as quizzically.  
  
"I hope so.. I've liked you for a long time, Dani.. Since 2nd year.. but you were so cold, and arrogant.. I didn't know how to act around you." Remus said softly, holding Dani's hand more tightly. She didn't know how to answer this, and just kept on walking. They stopped before they ran into an enormous tree. Remus paled. He steered Dani away and they walked around the edge of the Forbidden Forest, coming to a halt by the lake again, near a large beech tree. Dani released Remus' hand and sat down, leaning against the trunk of the tree. Remus sank down beside her and they spotted Sirius, James, Peter and Sanuya in the distance, making a beeline for the tree. Sanuya was the first to reach them.  
  
"Look who's getting it on!" She cried, sprawling on the ground. Sirius followed suit.  
  
"Yeah! Give us the gossip!" He said in the same tone as Sanuya' s, which was slightly surprised. Dani grinned embarrassedly. Remus became fascinated with a piece of bark.  
  
"There IS no gossip!" Dani cried throwing a pebble at Sirius.  
  
"Oh, so you just started going out, out of pure boredom, ey?" He asked, jokingly.  
  
"That about summarises it, yeah." Dani said. Remus looked up in horror. She laughed and leaned her fore-head against his shoulder. Sanuya, Sirius and James made noises that resembled a groan cross an 'aww.' Peter remained silent. James put a hand to his head and ran his fingers through it, making it stick on end. Dani saw this out of the corner of her eye and raises an eyebrow.  
  
"Why do you do that to your hair?" She asked quietly. Sirius and Sanuya were discussing something under a nearby tree. James looked over at Dani and asked. "I could ask the same thing about you." He said, eyeing Dani's super long untidy hair.  
  
"Blame that weirdo Morgs.. don't ask." She added. She crawled from Remus' grip and kneeled next to James, looking at him through green rimmed glasses. She leant forward, knocking James' glasses off and reached for his hair. She brushed it forward with her fingers, receiving a disapproving look from James. When she had finished she leant back on her heels, admiring her handiwork.  
  
"There you go." Dani said, crawling back over to Remus and lifting his arm to place around her shoulders. Peter turned to look at James and raised an appraising eyebrow. Sirius and Sanuya had returned to them.  
  
"Good look for you, mate, real hot." He said, winking. Sanuya nodded.  
  
"Does look better. Flat hair DOES suit you." She said, face straight. Dani rolled her eyes and looked out onto the lake. She was tired.. so tired.. A scene flashed in front of her eyes. There was a flash of green light and she saw a body fall to a stone floor. She heard cold laughter and a scream. She saw a tall figure running to the body on the floor. The tall male with light brown hair was sobbing over the girl on the ground, who's piercing green eyes were staring upwards, her black her fanned under her. A person near a door with white-blonde hair was smiling satisfyingly. Malfoy. Dani's dream self looked back to the 2 people on the ground. The girl was still clutching a wand in a pale hand. Herself. Dani screamed and felt a cold hand slapping her face. She opened her eyes with a snap and tried to sit up, but a surprisingly strong hand pushed hard on her chest, forcing her to stay down. She tried again and was once more, forced to stay down. She put her hands over her eyes, feeling cold sweat. Her glasses were laying shattered on the ground. Remus' and Sirius' anxious face hovered above her.  
  
"What- What happened to my glasses?" She stammered. She reached for her wand inside her pocket to repair them and Remus blocked her from returning her glasses to normal  
  
"You went into this weird.. spasm, thing, or something, your eyes rolled in your head and you were thrashing about and screaming. Your glasses fell off and you rolled on them, which explains their state." Sirius said, gesturing towards the broken shards of glass. Dani, again moved a shaking hand towards her wand but Remus seized her arm this time and replaced it on the ground beside her.  
  
"Lie still, Dani!" He ordered. She struggled a little more before laying back in Remus' arms.  
  
"Where's Sanuya and the other two at?" She said, a little more clearly, but her eyes still felt unfocused and she felt dizzy and sick.  
  
"They went to get help.. they should be back by now... speak of the devil." Sirius said turning to greet the three friends. A tiny teacher, Professor Flitwick trailed behind them. Dani stared up with unfocused eyes.  
  
"Feeling alright, Miss O'Leary?" He squeaked. Dani's wacky eyes flicked over to Sanuya who was extremely pale.  
  
"I think so.." She said and tried to get up. Remus pushed her down again and stood up. He towered over Professor Flitwick.  
  
"Sir, I think Dani O'Leary should be excused from her next class. She looks ill, and I think she may need to go to the Hospital Wing." Remus said. Dani glared up at him. Flitwick nodded.  
  
"Righto then Miss O'Leary. Mr Lupin and Miss Kynnata, please escort Miss O'Leary up to the Hospital Wing, a note will be sent around shortly to inform your teachers that you will be late." Flitwick said. The bell rang then and Dani, supported by Remus and San, stood up and stumbled up the front steps to Hogwarts school. The matron, Madame Pomfrey, bustled over Dani, taking her temperature and healing the cut on her shoulder from her glasses. Remus waited in the corner. Sannuya had gone to her class. When they had finished, Madame Pomfrey insisted Dani stay for a rest before the bell went for lunch. Remus put up a good fight to remain with Dani but he lost, and went to his Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Dani sank back into the white pillows of her hospital bed. She replayed the scene she had seen in the grounds and eventually fell asleep.. Her sleep was dreamless and she was awoken by the loud shrill bell sounded for lunch time. She looked around and saw her glasses neatly folded up on the bedside table. She smiled and she swung her legs over the bed. She pocketed her glasses and stood up, testing her balance. She found she was able to stand straight without falling over. Madame Pomfrey works wonders.. She thought, walking lightly out of the Hospital Wing. She trotted down the steps, holding onto the banister and reached the great hall, where the warm smells of food reached her. The doors opened and she walked in. Dani was looking at the ground, walking along, when she ran headlong into something soft. She looked up and followed the grey vest until she saw a friendly face smiling down at her. She plastered a fake smile on her face.  
  
"Good Afternoon Podfick. Did you have a good summer?" She said impatiently. Podfick Jolvin was one of her friends from Defence Against the Dark Arts. He was a Ravenclaw and a tad annoying.  
  
"It was peachy, O'Leary. What about you?" He asked back politely.  
  
"Can't complain."  
  
"I saw what happened at break.. hope you feel better." He said. She grinned at him again and turned away. Her smile disappeared and she stretched up on her toes to look for her friends. She couldn't find them so she went over to the Slytherin table. She spooned some salad on her plate and poured some coffee. She sat, eating without appetite, when she saw everybody on the Slytherin table's heads turn. 5 Gryffindors were marching down the aisle towards Dani. She pushed her plate forward and turned darkly fringed emerald eyes on her friends. She got up to join them and ignored the burning looks she received for inviting Gryffindors near the Slytherin table. They walked out of the Great Hall and stopped once they were in a far corner of the Entrance Hall.  
  
"What happened at break, Dani?" James asked quietly. Dani didn't think it would be too smart to say she had predicted her own murder. She remained silent and shifted her eyes to the wall.  
  
"What happened, Dani?" James asked again, a little more loudly. Again she didn't say anything. The others looked on anxiously. James stepped closer to Dani.  
  
"Why can't you just tell us- explain to us, why you had that-that fit!? You scared us all to death and won't explain why?" He demanded, seizing Dani by the shoulders. Dani looked up, tears rolling down her face. Remus stepped up and put his hand on Dani's arm. She bowed her head into the palms of her hands and her body shuddered with sobs. James released her, surprised. Dani swiped at her eyes and stared ahead at James.  
  
"Nothing happened." She whispered hoarsely and broke free of Remus' grip, she ran out of the school, her cloak and hair billowing behind her. She was blind with the tears welling up again in her eyes. She ran to a part of the lake that was hidden in trees. It had a view of the whole of Hogwarts. Dani stood on the edge of the lake, looking out onto the blue surface. Maybe I should just save Malfoy his work. She thought. Then she thought of Remus. Sweet, kind, shy, caring Remus. She had at last found love at Hogwarts and the same with him. James and Sirius wouldn't miss her too much. James had his infatuation with that Lily Evans, Sirius had Sanuya.. Peter.. he was too much amazed with James to care about anybody else. She heard a rustling behind her, and she looked around to see Malfoy walking slowly out of the trees. She turned red-rimmed eyes his way and suddenly felt a surge of fear choke her. Lucius had his wand out and Dani drew hers. Malfoy laughed.  
  
"You think you can take me on in your weakened condition?" He asked, coldly. Dani looked at him with life-long hatred gleaming her green eyes.  
  
"Weakened condition? Im afraid I don't quite follow you." She said sarcastically. Lucius Malfoy smirked.  
  
"Everyone saw you at break. Screaming and writhing on the ground." He said maliciously. Dani took some steps to the left, Malfoy to the right, circling each other.  
  
"Bad luck for you then, Malfoy. You should know Pomfrey works wonders."  
  
"Then why is, that you've been crying?"  
  
"I have not." Dani lied, Malfoy and Dani still circling each other. Lucius sneered.  
  
"Oh no? So could you tell me why there are tear-streaks on your face?" Malfoy asked mockingly. Dani blushed and tightened her grip on the thin piece of wood that was her wand. Dani stopped circling. She was facing the trees, her back to the lake. She lowered her wand.  
  
"Im not doing this. I am not going to hurt myself, for you, Malfoy." She said in a tone not unlike Lucius' own. She pushed herself past Malfoy and heard that familiar swishing noise of wood against wind. She was about to call a spell over her shoulder when she heard a second voice.  
  
"Protego!" The second voice called. Dani had flung her hands over her head and crouched on the ground. She looked up to see Remus and Sirius. Sirius had his wand out. Remus held out a hand to Dani and she grasped it.  
  
"You gave us quite a turn, Dani." Sirius said, kicking the limp form of Malfoy with his foot. "Running out like that, crying.. it's not like you, Dani. You are one of the toughest people I know and to start crying, let alone run out on an argument.. is something you don't normally do."  
  
"How did you know I would be here?" She asked, in a steady voice that shocked Sirius and Remus.  
  
"It's easy.. I always come here when I'm upset.. I figured you would." Remus said quietly, pulling Dani to her feet. "Dani-" Dani looked up. "- can you please tell us what happened at break?"  
  
"You were there, you saw me." Dani said, pocketing her wand and brushing the knees of her pants off.  
  
"But WHY? And why do you always looked so scared whenever Malfoy is near?" Sirius asked, stepping forward. Remus looked away. He knew why she always looked scared. Dani stared determinedly back. Perhaps it was time that Sirius, one of her closest friend, knew.  
  
"Why? Why? Do you want to know why? Malfoy's father, killed my parents! I watched them die, I saw that- that.. prick murder my mother, just when she was beginning to understand me! I saw him torture her and I was screaming and screaming but nobody could hear me! I was yelling 'Stop hurting her, stop hurting my mother, stop hurting her!' and he didn't! He killed her, and he did the same with my father and still nobody heard me scream. I saw him walk away, I saw him laugh, I saw him look my way with those cold grey eyes and smile. I heard him say 'That's what you get for hurting my family.' And I could have murdered him! I could have ripped every limb from his body. But I didn't. I didn't stop him from leaving my house, grinning like a maniac. I could have, oh, I could have, but I never. And now.. Malfoy is following in his footsteps and at break.. I saw him kill me. I saw myself tortured, then killed.. just like my parents.. I think that's a brilliant reason to run away." Dani finished, breathlessly. She glared down at the pale, unconscious face of Lucius Malfoy. There was a minute of silence before Sirius spoke.  
  
"I never- I didn't know.. Was that why you were always warning us not to annoy the Malfoy family?" Dani nodded, angry tears building up in her eyes. She wiped furiously at her eyes, determined not to let Sirius see her weakness. Remus already knew it. Sirius grabbed Dani's wrist, not letting her wipe the tears away. "Just cry, Dani. I take back what I said before. You have every right to." But instead of crying, Dani straightened up and took a deep breath and looked in turn at Sirius and Remus. Remus looked very ill and pale.  
  
"I'm fine." She said in a trying, strong voice.  
  
"Fine means freaked out, paranoid, insecure and emotional." Remus said in a quiet voice, the corners of his mouth twitching. She smiled faintly.  
  
"That sums it up then." She said. She checked her little silver and green clock. Quarter to 1. "We better get back to the castle." She said and turned to walk away.  
  
"What about Malfoy?" Sirius called. She stopped in her tracks. She was tempted to tell them to leave him there. She sighed and conjured up a stretcher. Malfoy looked like he was out cold. "I only did a shield charm.." Sirius said in amazement. Dani pointed at a rock that was where Malfoy's head had been.  
  
"Let me introduce, Source One." She said picking up the rock. It had a few strands of white blonde hair on it, from where Malfoy's head had hit it. She looked at it and hurled it as hard as she could into the lake.  
  
"Oh that felt good." She said, still rather perturbed by her encounter with Malfoy. How much longer is this going to continue before it ends? She thought. Her, Remus and Sirius walked back to the castle with the stretcher that held Malfoy on it between them. They reached the castle and Sirius marched the unconscious Lucius Malfoy to the hospital wing. Dani and Remus both had Potions in Dungeon 3 now, and they reached the dungeon with 10 minutes to spare. The classroom was empty and Dani and Remus dragged their cauldrons together. Dani started unloading parchment, ink and quills. Remus started doing the same and unexpectedly, reached for Dani's hand and squeezed it.  
  
"I don't think I've ever said this, Dani.. but I am so sorry." Dani smiled sadly.  
  
"It's not your fault." She said, squeezing his hand in turn. She smiled again and turned back to organising her work for class. The bell rang and students poured in, including Podfick Jolvin and Morgs Avanga. Dani groaned. The whole classroom would be likely to be doused in some potion by the end of the class if Morgs was in this room. Morgs and Podfick set their cauldrons up near Dani's and Remus'. Morgs grinned her eerie smile at them and Podfick wore his usual vacant expression. Morgs sat down on the bench next to Dani, untucked her tie and flipped it over her shoulder. Morgs' top hat (that she always wore, even on the Quidditch pitch) was tipped on an angle. Dani wondered how it stayed on her head if it was on such a jaunty position as this. Dani smiled weakly at Morgs and Podfick and looked up at the teacher, Professor Kindlewent. He tapped his wand twice on the board and words appeared magically there.  
  
"Follow the instructions and create your potion. Put a sample on my desk when you have finished. You have one hour. Go." Professor Kindlewent said, shortly. Dani raised her eyebrows slightly and started unloading the ingredients used to make the Skinning Solution. She put her glasses on, so she could read the ingredients and started tipping frog spawn and lavender oil into her cauldron. Potions was one of Dani's best subjects. She lit the stove underneath her cauldron with her wand and started simmering the ingredients. Avanga was not having as much luck. The words on the board had said that the potion should be canary yellow. Morgs' was bottle green. Her cauldron started frothing over and Dani practically flattened Remus when she jumped over to avoid the mess. Professor Kindlewent swept over and flicked his wand. The mess disappeared.  
  
"Foolish girl, you added too much dragon blood, didn't you?" He spat, but Avanga wasn't listening she had fascinated herself with a moth that was flying above her head. Jolvin was creating his potion with simplicity that Dani had to admire. When the task was done, Dani ladled some of her potion into a flask and placed it on Kindlewent's desk. Podfick, Orlando, Redrick and Remus followed suit. Redrick Griffith's potion was a lovely purple colour. Potion's was not his forte. Dani took off her glasses and pocketed them. She rubbed her eyes and took out the bands that were holding her hair back. She hated tying her hair up. It was such a pain when it was so long, but the rules clearly stated, that in Potions, long hair is to be worn up at all times. She sighed and put her head on her arms and watch absently as Remus talked to the Professor about some potion or another. Remus turned and walked back to the bench, a grim expression on his face. The bell rang and Kindlewent dismissed the class with a wave of his hand. Dani stuffed the potion ingredients back into her bag and scribbled down the homework; which was 'Explain the uses of dragon blood.' She swung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the dungeon with Remus. Halfway down the corridor something large and soft collided with the back of Dani's head. Rubbing her skull, she looked around and saw her owl, holding something. The owl flew onto Dani's shoulder and Dani unrolled the piece of paper. She took her glasses out, put them on and read the letter. When she had finished, she crunched it up with one hand and set it alight with her wand tip.  
  
"What was that all about?" Remus asked, watching the smoked ruins fall to the floor.  
  
"Oh, it was just the Daily Prophet confirming my subscription." Dani replied. She stroked her owl, Gany, on the back and watch him soar off. "What do you have next?" She asked quickly. Remus stared at her oddly for a second.  
  
"Charms." Remus said, rubbing at his shadowed eyes. They walked to the first floor, Dani, being so short, almost got knocked over by a 3rd year, that was chasing after a bullfrog. She brushed the hair out of her eyes and turned into the hallway in which she had transfiguration. She waved at Remus, who had gone to join James and Sirius for charms. James had cast her a scared, fleeting look, before he turned the corner. Dani sighed and walked into the class as the bell rang. This was the only class in which Lucius, Severus and Dani shared together. Lucius looked menacingly over at Dani, a slight bump on his forehead. She ignored him and took her seat, once again in the back left corner. The teacher walked in, Professor Mconagall was her name and she tapped her wand on her desk, silencing the class.  
  
"Welcome back, 6th years! I hope to find you well. Today, we'll be transfiguring larger animals into rocks. In pairs, take turns in transfiguring your animal. The animals are in the cages behind my desk. You have 60 minutes." Dani didn't expect that anybody would want to pair with her, so she grabbed a cage containing a German Shepard and dragged it into her corner. She tied her hair back and looked up onto the board where the instructions were.  
  
"Tap the animal twice with your wand. Then say Alantarta." She murmured. She unlocked the cage with a further tap of her wand and put a Freezing Spell on the animal as it leapt out. She rolled up the sleeves of her cloak. Dani took her wand out and tapped the animal with her wand twice.  
  
"Alantarta!" She cried, raising her wand to shoulder height. An icy blue light flew out of her wand and it hit the dog. The dog started shrinking and going a dirty brown colour. It was soon becoming crouched and was now the size of a pillow. The only problem, Dani noticed, is that the rock had a tail. She inspected her work of transfiguration with interest, before she saw Mconagall stride over.  
  
"Nearly there, O'Leary." She said briskly and tapped the rock-dog with her wand and it turned back to a German Shepard. Dani watched Mconagall walk away and Dani turned back to her dog. She patted it on the head absentmindedly and drawing her hand away, found many hairs on her glove. She raised an eyebrow at the dog as it drooled happily. She sighed and raised her wand again. She tapped it twice, closed her eyes, ready to shout the incantation.  
  
"Alant-"  
  
"Can I use the dog too?" A voice cut her off. Dani opened one eye and looked around. Snape was standing there, greasy hair and all. Dani sighed closed her eye and opened both of them, looking around at Snape.  
  
"I don't think I have a choice, do I?" She said bitterly. Snape's lip curled and he drew his wand. Dani jumped out of the way and watched moodily from the corner. Severus tapped the dog with his wand and his oily voice echoed through the room.  
  
"Alantarta!" He cried, raising his wand. The blue light issued out from his wand and Dani watched with interest as the dog shrank to the size of a small chair. Snape had successfully turned the dog into a rock. Dani leaned forward to inspect it and was about to touch it when she heard a whimpering noise. She withdrew her hand and smirked at Snape.  
  
"Interestingly enough, your rock seems to make a noise." She said, softly. Snape flicked black eyes and Dani and muttered the counter-spell that restored the rock to a dog. Snape swished away, muttering darkly. Dani smiled, satisfyingly and returned to changing her dog into a rock and back again. When the timer rang for 60 minutes to be up, Dani locked the dog in its cage. "Locomotor, cage!" She muttered and the cage, dog and all rose up in the air and Dani marched it back to behind the teacher's desk. She lowered it and walked back to her desk. She took out her glasses, put them on, and unloaded parchment, ink and her peacock feather quill. Mconagall wrote their homework on the board which was to compose an essay on the properties that an incantation has in transfiguration. Dani smiled. Mconagall always gave them this homework on their first week back. Dani must have done it a dozen times. She scribbled it down and put the piece of parchment into her already overladen bag. She grabbed the clock swinging from her neck and flicked the lid open. She looked at the time. 5 minutes to go. She sighed and put her head on her folded arms. She looked around blearily and yawned. She stared off into space, thinking of the scene she had witnessed this morning in the period of time she was oblivious to all but her own nightmare. The bell rang. Dani lifted her head off her arms and wiped the spot on her cloak where she had drooled a little, as she tended to do. She flung her bag over her shoulder and trooped out of the classroom, nearly running headlong into her Head of House; Professor Kindlewent. He appeared rushed and spoke to Dani quickly.  
  
"I've appointed you Slytherin Quidditch captain, O'Leary. Congratulations and I hope you bring Slytherin House to another victory this year." He said and hurried off. Dani appeared surprised at first and then happy. She did a silent jig. This turned her awful day upside down. She ran down the hall, bag swinging from her arm and she stopped in time to see Morgs emerging from Muggle Studies. Dani delighted in this and did a sort of sideways dance.  
  
"Guess whose going down this year? Ravenclaw, cause I'm captain and I'm gonna kick your birdie arses!" She cried. Morgs appeared stunned for a second.  
  
"Good luck!" She called after Dani. Dani did not stop but kept on running, determined to find the other Slytherin Quidditch members and inform them of her being captain. She ran past Trossi and a Slytherin chaser called Trigr on the stairs. She grabbed them by the arm, still running.  
  
"Quidditch practice, 4:30. I know it's a short notice but Kindlewent just told me I'm new captain. Can you tell the others.. I'm captain!" Dani repeated, excitedly, running down the stars backward and knocking the Slytherin first year called Nick over. She picked him up under the elbow. "Sorry mate." She said, pushing his bag into his arms. He looked down at her with an odd expression on his face and watched Dani run down the rest of the stairs two at a time.  
  
"What IS wrong with her?" He asked Trossie and she shrugged. 


	3. Quidditch Time

Dani shouldered her Dianamo13 and swished out of the Slytherin common room in a flurry of green and silver, being held up only briefly by Sirius' cousin and Narcissa's sister, Bellatrix Black who tried to hex her. Dani dodged the spell and jogged the rest of the way to the Quidditch Pitch. She grasped her little clock on the chain, unhooked it and looked at the time. It would be half an hour before anybody would show up. She tapped the little clock with her wand and it disappeared. Dani mounted her black broom and untucked her robes from under her. She tied her hair back with one hand and put her wand back in her pocket. When she finished tying her hair back, and kicked off. Quidditch is a game, played on broomsticks. There are 4 balls, two, the bludgers, try to knock people off their brooms, it's the beater's job to smack them away from their team. One, the Quaffle, is used by the chaser's to score goals through 3 big goal posts, and the last ball, the snitch, is what the seeker catches to end the game. The snitch is worth 150 points. Dani played Seeker on the Slytherin team and beater on the Hogwarts team. She flew around, the wind in her face. It felt so good to be in the air again. Dani zipped around on her broom. She did a couple of loop the loops and returned to the ground, her cheeks a bit pink. She shouldered her broom once more and walked to the store room. She dragged the heavy chest containing the balls that you use in Quidditch, out onto the field, as her 5 team mates approached her. They needed a chaser. She walked to meet the Slytherin Quidditch team and was greeted with pats on the back and "Good on you, Dani!" She grinned and leaded her team to the changing rooms. They all sat down on the benches and Dani stood in front of them. She put her broom on the ground and stood over it.  
  
"I've no idea why they appointed me captain, but, as Trigr and Trossi have already witnessed.. I'm pretty stoked over it. Now, even if I am captain, there doesn't mean there will be a lot of changes. I'm going to follow up on what Jurd (the last captain) has begun. Slytherin hasn't lost the cup in loads of years, and I don't intend to lose it this year." There was murmurs of agreement on the bench. Dani looked at the empty space between Trigr and the other chaser, Eric Frend. "And, as I've sure you noticed, since we don't have Jurd, we need another chaser. Kindlewent informed me that the first game, naturally, is between Gryffindor and Slytherin and it is on in a month. That gives us a bit of time to hold auditions for the last chaser position." Dani stopped to think for a minute. "We'll make the auditions on Friday." The team nodded. Dani picked up her broom and the others did the same. "Let's get out there, and just muck around today." And they all trooped out of the changing rooms, green robes billowing in the breeze. The team mounted their brooms and kicked off. Trossi and a guy Dani didn't know very well, called Lachlan, grabbed their bats and flew around, pretending to knock people over the head. Dani shook her head, smiling, forgetting all about the horrible day she had. She kicked open the chest, containing the balls, and the two bludgers flew into the air, immediately trying to knock people off their brooms. Dani threw the big red ball called the Quaffle into the air and Eric snatched it out of the air before Trigr even touched it. Dani released the Snitch and hopped onto her own broom. She flew up, looking around at what appeared to be a very good and strong side. The chasers started flying up to the goalposts. Aaron Linton-Harland, the keeper, stationed himself in front of the middle goal post. Dani raced the chaser's up to the goalpost, testing their speed. Trigr took up the challenge, and carrying the Quaffle, put on full power. Onlookers saw Dani and Trigr as greenish blurs. Dani stared ahead and grinned evilly. Trigr was fighting to keep up with her. Dani saw the goalposts drawing nearer, and spun off course to avoid hitting them. Trigr slowed down and scored a perfect goal, owing to the fact that Aaron was re-tying his robes together. Trigr flew around in circles, pumping the air with her fist. Dani grinned at her and flew past, giving Trigr a high-five. Dani circled above her team, looking down at the players, clad in cream riding pants and green robes. She just stared down at them, with a slight smile on her face. A flash of gold flew past her face and she turned her neck so quick, it hurt. She streaked after the snitch, one hand grasped around her broom handle, the other, ready to grab the snitch. She stretched her fingers as far as they would go.  
  
"Come on.." She growled at her broom. As if it heard her words, the broom's pace quickened and Dani's fingers closed over the struggling snitch. She grinned and flew back down to the ground. Darkness was gathering and her team-mates were getting restless. They wandered back off to the changing rooms and Dani called after them.  
  
"Don't forget! Auditions for chaser on Friday!" They waved behind her. Lachlan remained behind to help her wrestle the fighting bludgers back into the chest. Dani thanked Lachlan and he went to get changed. Dani dragged the chest into the store room and locked the door behind her. She walked out, completely alone now, and looked up at the sky. Dark clouds were just covering a full moon. 


	4. One cold night

She went to walk into the changing rooms when she saw a lone figure walking towards that big tree in the middle of the school grounds. It was Remus. He was accompanied by Madam Pomfrey. Dani abandoned her broom, outside the changing rooms and walked out of the stadium. She followed Remus and Pomfrey across the school grounds, still in her Quidditch clothes. She hid in the shadows of the Quidditch pitch and watched. Dani was about 50 metres away from Remus and Madam Pomfrey, when she saw something that shocked her. The tree started moving and it's branches started flailing about. Remus picked up a long stick and poked a rather noticeable notch in the tree. The tree stopped moving and the roots arched up, leaving a tunnel. Dani gasped as she saw Madam Pomfrey help Remus into the tunnel. She watched the tree go back to its normal state, and Madam Pomfrey slipped away. She waited until Madam Pomfrey had gone and Dani slipped from her shadows. She sprinted lightly over to the tree and grabbed the stick that Remus had used to poke the tree with. She found the notch, and dodging a blow from a branch, poked it. The tree froze and Dani slipped under the uplifted roots. The moon had just appeared. She turned back and looked at it and slid down the tunnel. Dani tugged on her Quidditch robe, that was caught on a branch outside the tree and a large ripped appeared.  
  
"Damn!" She hissed. And looked around the damp tunnel. It was dark. Dani took out her wand and muttered, "Lumos!" Her wand tip flared light and she held the narrow beam high over the ground. She crept forward, wondering why on earth Remus had come down this dark and musty tunnel. She heard a soft whimpering noise in the distance. It was very faint and Dani quickened her pace. The tunnel was long and the sound was getting louder. It sounded like someone was hurt. She broke into a run, which was quite hard to do in shin- guards and boots. The noise was loud, very loud now. Dani stopped and squinted. There was a hunched figure at the end of the tunnel. Dani, drew closer. She recognised there was something familiar about that lean form.  
  
"Remus?" She whispered. The whimpering stopped. Dani broke into a run again and stopped, as soon as she had started. There was a low growling noise. Dani took a few more steps. Remus was now within arm-reach. She held out a leather padded and gloved arm. She moved a little closer and stretched out a shaking hand. The growling was still audible, and what Dani thought to be Remus' body was shaking and shuddering. Dani's hand hovered over the shuddering body's shoulder. Her fingertip touched the shoulder and growling became a snarl. Dani took no notice and placed her whole hand on the shoulder. There was no time for regrets. A heavy arm, flew out of nowhere and knocked Dani to the wall. What she thought to be Remus' head, had flung around, teeth bared. Dani screamed and tried to scramble back up. She reached for her wand, but it was knocked from her hands. One of the beast's arms knocked Dani back down. She hit her head on the wall and she raised a hand to it, feeling blood. She screamed again as a heavy and furry hand reached for her neck. It seized Dani's neck and lifted her off the ground, slamming her against the wall of the tunnel. The beast's hand tightened and Dani choked for breath. Tears welled in her eyes and she felt the hand tighten. Her back twisted and Dani tried to let out a scream of pain but there was nothing. She felt the air being squeezed out of her body. The monster held it's face close to Dani's. It had a short snout and fur covered it's face. Dani let out a sound that somewhat resembled a gasp. A werewolf. They had studied those for the OWL's, last year. Dani felt as if she was going to die any second. She looked into those confused eyes and saw the same warmth she saw in someone's eyes she knew. She choked. "Rem- Remus...I... lov-.." But that is all she got out. She was suddenly knocked aside by what appeared a giant black dog. Dani fell to the ground and crawled quickly to where her wand lay. She picked it up with a shaking hand and swiped at her sweating and tear-streaked face. She scrambled to her feet and held the wand in front of her, body trembling. Dani looked at the dog that had been her saviour.. The dog was fighting and playing with the werewolf. What appeared to be a stag joined the fighting two. The animals ran to the end of the tunnel and through the doorway. She heard a yelp and a growl. There was a bit of a thud and silence. Dani ran to the mouth at the end of the tunnel and climbed up dirt steps into a very old house she had seen on her visits to Hogsmeade. She looked around frantically, wand still raised. A single phrase kept playing in her head. Curiosity killed the cat. Dani was having second thoughts when she saw something dark on the ground. She ran towards it, observing her surroundings as she passed. She tripped over a chair that was on the ground. It was missing legs and the stuffing coming out. She had heard the rumours revolving around this house, and came to a conclusion that ghosts did not do that to the chair. She reached the huddled shape on the ground and realised it was a person. She bent low over it and touched it slightly. There was a trickled of blood running down the person's face. It turned it's head to look at Dani and she gasped.  
  
"Sirius?!" He smiled at her, pulling his arm out from under himself and brushing his tangled fringe away from his eyes.  
  
"You've found our secret, then." He said, putting pressure to the cut on his head with his sleeve. Dani nodded.  
  
"I never knew Remus was a werewolf." Dani said quietly.  
  
"It's not something that he tells everybody."  
  
"I can't believe it. I'm his girlfriend.. I love him. And he nearly killed me.." Dani said, exasperatedly.  
  
"Dani, you are safe now. James took off with Remus over the other side of the house. You are ok now." Sirius said soothingly.  
  
"Look at me, Sirius! Do I look ok? Do I look alright? I am so hurt! I love Remus with- with everything, and he didn't tell me?" Dani stared at him with tears running down her injured face. There was a dark purple bruise appearing in a ring around her neck. Sirius edged up the wall, wincing. Still with a hand to his head, he stood and held out his arm. Dani turned into his arms and hugged Sirius' body. She sobbed uncontrollably into his front, in which with one arm he tried to comfort Dani. After minutes of rocking back and forth and silence, Dani whispered, still holding tightly to Sirius as if he was going to run away.  
  
"I felt like I was already dying.. It was so cold." Sirius just nodded. She drew apart from him and sat on a mangled chair. She rested her head on her hands and stared at the wall. "I was only an inch away from being torn apart.. or-or.. bitten."  
  
"I know that mustn't feel great. But he couldn't control it, Dani." Sirius said, leaning against the wall, hand still to his head.  
  
"But I still love him.. so much.. and I don't feel that I should. How can you love the guy that tried to kill you?" Sirius had no time to answer. There was a noise on the other side of the house, two thumps on the floor. Dani jumped up and Sirius turned into that giant dog again. Dani had her wand out, but what appeared in the doorway wasn't a werewolf or a stag. It was James, supporting Remus, who appeared very sick. Remus looked up wearily, there was a bit of a scratch on his face and James was sporting a bleeding lip, and his glasses were broken. Remus glanced at Dani and tried to walk to her. Dani remained as she was, wand poised, fear, hurt and love in her bright green eyes. He looked at her, frightened and sorry. Sirius and James glanced nervously at Dani. She was still in the same position and she looked even more frightened as she stared at Remus, saw the same hardness as she saw in that monster's eyes and she backed against the wall. Remus made a start towards her and she edged along the wall. Remus stopped and stared at her. Dani stayed put and felt her heart collide with her chest in fear. She looked at him fearfully once more and turned on her heel and ran. She ran blindly crashing into things and did not stop until she was out of the Whomping Willow. She jogged to the beech tree by the lake and sank against it, sobbing.  
  
"I can't do it... I can't.." She whimpered. She sat hunched, crying there for a few minutes, until she heard a hushed soothing voice and an exasperated one. "Mate, you need to calm down." Came a familiar voice. James' voice.  
  
"How can I?! The only girl I ever loved is terrified of me. I should have told her about me. She trusted me!" Remus' voice yelled into the night. Dani pressed herself harder against the tree. A knobble of bark dug into her back, but she ignored it. Her breathing shallowed as she pressed her lips together. She saw James, Sirius, Remus and Peter, who had re- transformed, walk past, and felt the whip of their robes in the wind. She should have done it when she was in the tunnel, but fear and love grabbed at her and she couldn't transform. There was a reason why her Patronus was a wolf. She could turn into one too. When Dani, Lucius and Severus were practicing the Dark Arts, the all learned to become Animagi. Dani learnt to transform into a wolf by the time she was in fourth year. Lucius became a serpent and Snape could transform into a rabid bear. She hadn't thought to transform, to save herself, because she knew werewolves only craved human blood and not that of an animal. She also had hidden something from Remus, just as he had hidden something from her. 


End file.
